It's easy to see why so many people hate Opeth. The band refers to their albums as â€˜observations.' They are pretentious in ways that make Rush sound like the Dead Boys. But it's easy to see why so many people love Opeth, too. Their ambition and ability to exist outside of predictable metal parameters has won them scores of devoted fans. Ghost Reveries features some of the band's teethier moments, reminiscent of their early material. Riffs that immediately recall classic Maiden take detours and become different songs, and Opeth repeat the process ad infinitum. This is the recurring formula, although count me among those who wish they'd just ditch the clean vocals entirely. At this point in the band's history, the abrupt back and forth seems less jarring and creative and more like a novelty that has effectively worn off. Dyed in the wool metal fans, who comprise some of the most rigidly narrow minded music fans in the world, will have a lot to deal with here—mellotrons, the hand drums and Pink Floyd-y vocals of “Atonement.” the wanky blues solo and orchestral swells of the bombastic “Hours of Wealth,” the sub-emo lyrics of “Isolation Fears” (“There's a sense of longing in me / As I read Rosemary's letter / Her writing's honest / Can't forget the years she's lost” â€“ nigga, please). It is a widely held belief that if the Metallica of Master of Puppets met the insufferable Metallica of today, they'd kick their asses. Or maybe, in these touchy feely times, they'd start a band together that might sound a lot like Opeth. [Roadrunner]